Q: Molly, who are you—beyond the tours, beyond the guiding?
I’m someone who has spent the last twenty years falling in love with one city—Beijing.
I wasn’t born here, but Beijing became home long before I realized it. I’ve walked through its hutongs in every season, studied its history like a secret language, and collected stories from people who’ve lived here far longer than I have.
I’m a communicator at heart. With degrees in Communication Studies and History, I’ve always been fascinated by how stories shape the way we understand a place, a culture, a moment in time.
Q: You studied history—does that influence the way you guide?
Absolutely.
History isn’t something I “teach”—it’s something I perform.
When I guide, I’m not listing dates. I’m pulling people into the story:
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Why did emperors make the choices they did?
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What were they afraid of?
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What power struggles shaped the Forbidden City?
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And how did ordinary people live inside this giant web of traditions and rules?
Teenagers especially love this part. When stories feel alive, nobody has to “pay attention”—they just naturally do.
Q: Before tourism, you had a successful career as a product manager in a big tech company. Why leave?
Because I realized I wanted a life that felt real.
I was designing digital products, solving problems, reading data every day—but I found myself booking a flight every time I needed to breathe.
Eventually, I saw the truth:
Travel wasn’t my break from life—it was the part that made me feel alive.
So I left.
Not because I was fearless, but because I didn’t want to spend my life not doing the thing I love most.
Building CocoMolly is the bravest, most meaningful thing I’ve ever done.
Q: As a traveler yourself, what’s the most unforgettable trip you’ve ever taken?
It was the end of 2023.
I had just finished the busiest, most intense work year of my life—constant deadlines, meetings, pressure. I was exhausted. So I booked a solo trip to the Maldives.
Of course, the ocean was beautiful—the turquoise water, the soft white sand.
But what made the trip unforgettable were the people.
I still remember a bartender on the island who taught me his “secret drinking ritual” and told me:
“People come and go. Most visitors only see this island once in their lifetime. They’ll return to work, stress, routines… but while you’re here, just enjoy it. Tomorrow can wait.”
I had conversations with travelers from different cultures, backgrounds, and dreams.
That trip reminded me of something I had forgotten:
Travel is about people. About stories. About realizing the world is so much bigger and more colorful than our everyday boxes.
After that, everything shifted.
I realized I wanted a different life—a life that aligned with what I truly love. That trip planted the seed. Over the next year, I prepared quietly, re-learned, re-planned, and rebuilt my path.
In late 2024, I finally took the step.
And here I am.
Q: What makes your tours different from typical Beijing experiences?
Three things:
1. I design tours like a product manager.
Clear flow, layered experiences, thoughtful pacing—
nothing random, nothing copy-paste.
2. I focus on connection, not “consumption.”
You won’t just see Beijing.
You’ll talk to people, taste real flavors, hear stories that carry emotion, not just facts.
3. Teens love my tours.
Because they’re not passive. They’re interactive—
games, challenges, storytelling, decision-making.
It feels like experiencing, not “learning.”
Q: What is the one thing you hope travelers feel after exploring with you?
That Beijing isn’t just history—it’s alive.
It’s ancient and modern, chaotic and poetic, tender and intense all at the same time.
If you leave with even one moment of
“I never knew this… but I’m so glad I do now,”
that’s enough for me.
Q: Final question—what does this work mean to you?
Travel changed me.
Now I want to create experiences that might—just might—change someone else.
This is Molly—your storyteller, your local friend, and your guide into the soul of Beijing. Ready to explore together?
